Mask of Sanity
TPF Noob!
e_:
In your topic thread "Catches" in the Eye...a simple trick, you mentioned when describing how you shot that pic that the Kodac T-Max400 was, quote, "pushed to 1600 for added contrast", which leads me to my question...
I am very "green" when it comes to shooting B&W, and am trying to learn how to deal with it (on a whole) to get good, meaty, images. My problem is, the images are coming out "flat", and I would like to punch up the contrast some. Typically, when I shoot B&W, I have been applying the same "rules" I employ for color film (expose @ +2/3 to +1 stop EI, then develop normally), but that isn't seeming to work as well as hoped. I have tried manipulating light to introduce more "brights and shadows" (or waiting for high contrast light), and this has helped...some...
What I want to know is this: are there some "rules of thumb" that I can employ, when shooting B&W, to increase the contrast (and effectiveness) in my images? I have heard about the Ansel rule, "expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights", but my problem is, I have all my work commercially developed, since I am not "darkroom proficient" (i.e., I don't understand the darkroom stuff). What can I ask my photomart to do? What should I do? ANY advice would be appreciated, thanks...
P.S. If ANYONE can offer any advice, for that matter, please feel free to comment...
In your topic thread "Catches" in the Eye...a simple trick, you mentioned when describing how you shot that pic that the Kodac T-Max400 was, quote, "pushed to 1600 for added contrast", which leads me to my question...
I am very "green" when it comes to shooting B&W, and am trying to learn how to deal with it (on a whole) to get good, meaty, images. My problem is, the images are coming out "flat", and I would like to punch up the contrast some. Typically, when I shoot B&W, I have been applying the same "rules" I employ for color film (expose @ +2/3 to +1 stop EI, then develop normally), but that isn't seeming to work as well as hoped. I have tried manipulating light to introduce more "brights and shadows" (or waiting for high contrast light), and this has helped...some...
What I want to know is this: are there some "rules of thumb" that I can employ, when shooting B&W, to increase the contrast (and effectiveness) in my images? I have heard about the Ansel rule, "expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights", but my problem is, I have all my work commercially developed, since I am not "darkroom proficient" (i.e., I don't understand the darkroom stuff). What can I ask my photomart to do? What should I do? ANY advice would be appreciated, thanks...
P.S. If ANYONE can offer any advice, for that matter, please feel free to comment...